Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Here we're on the brink of economic disaster and we're wasting time with symbolic political theater at its worst. We want compromise and solutions and to protect Medicare on the Democratic side. Why don't you try working with Democrats? The American people want us to meet in the middle. They don't want this nonsense. The debate now focuses only on spending cuts, without closing tax loopholes, and that still isn't enough for some. No wonder The Wall Street Journal said the Republicans don't look like adults to whom voters can entrust the government. The Democrats want to compromise in the middle, and if the President needs to pull the 14th Amendment, I think he should do that because the Republicans have shown they don't want compromise at all.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the career accomplishments of my cousin, David Lertzman, who retired this year after 41 years as a teacher and coach in the Los Angeles Unified School District. A native of California, David began his career in 1970 and would go on to teach and coach at numerous high schools in Los Angeles. David's academic career revolved around teaching World History, U.S. History, and Physical Education. His passion for education and history led him to participate in a local State University Education Department program that prepared students for a career teaching U.S. History. This program was highly successful, and David would watch many of his former students go on to have distinguished careers in teaching and coaching. In addition to his teaching accomplishments, David had a very successful coaching career. He coached football, boys gymnastics and girls volleyball. In doing so, he reached many significant milestones. At Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, he holds the record for most wins in school history for the football team and the boys gymnastics team, while at Birmingham High School he holds the record for most wins in school history for girls volleyball. He also served as a founding member of the Los Angeles Volleyball Coaches Association and the Los Angeles Football Coaches Association, and the President of the Los Angeles Coaches Association. As a former teacher myself, I want to join my cousin Lynne, who has been David's wife for 36 years, their two daughters Stephanie and Carolyn, and their son-in-law, Scott in congratulating him on such a successful career. Teachers hold a special place in our society, and David Lertzman has proven to be at the top of his profession. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman. You know, this is political theater at its worst. This bill has no chance of becoming law. It's extreme. It was put together so that the Speaker could pick up the last two or three votes from the extreme element of the Republican Party. We refuse to be held hostage and the American people refuse to be held hostage. Let me say to my Republican colleagues: Why don't you try working with us? Why don't you try to work with the Democrats? Why don't we kind of move to the sensible middle and have a bill that can pass? This is what the American people want us to do. They are sick of the political posturing. They are sick of this day in and day out. We are now bringing our country to the brink of financial disaster because of cheap political games. Meet us in the middle. In order to balance our budget, we need to have a cut in spending, yes, but we also need to have those who can afford to pay more pay a little more, and we need to close corporate tax loopholes, not protect the rich. My Republican friends want to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class, want to tell seniors that Medicare as we know it will be destroyed, want to tell our students that they cannot get Pell Grants. We don't want to do this. Pass a clean debt ceiling. That's what we need to do. We did it 18 times under Reagan and eight times under Bush. We ought to do it again now and stop the political charade.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I want my colleagues to hear some of the things that I'm hearing from my constituents back home. People want to know why we cannot compromise. People want to know why we cannot work together. I don't know the answers to that because I think we should. What I see happening here is something that I haven't seen in the 23 years that I've been here. It's that people do not seem to want to move to the center and to compromise. I know some of my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle, particularly the Tea Party-backed freshmen, have signed a pledge never to raise taxes. Well, I want to say what Senator Coburn said the other day. He said, what am I upholding my pledge to? I uphold my pledge to abide by the Constitution, not upholding my pledge to abide by what a special interest group wants. People want us to meet in the middle. People don't understand why there seems to be intransigence. You know, we have spent too much over these past decades. And you know what else? In order to get back to where we can balance our budget and pay our bills, we can't do it all with just spending cuts. It has to be three things. It has to be spending cuts, for sure. It also happens to be and should be closing tax loopholes for the very wealthy who get away with paying no taxes at all, for large corporations who pay no taxes at all, for special subsidies to businesses that move their jobs overseas, to special subsidies for companies like Big Oil that don't need the subsidies. We also need to make sure that those who can afford to pay a little bit more pay a little bit more, because that's how we get our budget back in balance. But if my Republican friends only say, you know, all we're going to do is cut, and we're not going to meet the Democrats halfway, then I'm afraid we're moving to fall off a cliff. President Obama was absolutely right yesterday when he said that one side seems to be saying, my way or the highway; tax cuts forever, even if our budget is not balanced. We, as Democrats, are saying let's do it a compromise way. Let us cut spending, let us close tax loopholes, and let those who can afford to pay a little more, millionaires and billionaires, pay a little more. We are here because the American people sent us here. I know my constituents are concerned about Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, and the New York Graduate Medical Education. I didn't come here to devastate those programs, and I want my constituents to know that I'm going to fight like crazy to preserve Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and GME. We cannot balance our budget on the backs of senior citizens. I want to remind my colleagues that when President Clinton, the last Democratic president before President Obama left office, we had record surpluses. President Bush came in and we have red ink deficits as far as the eye can see. And I want to remind my Republican colleagues that 6 of the 8 Bush years Republicans controlled both the House and the Senate, and had the presidency for 6 years. If they wanted a balanced budget amendment they could have had it. If they wanted to try to balance the budget they could have done it. So I don't think lectures are important now. I think there's plenty of blame to go around on all sides. We had the Bush tax cuts, we had wars, and we had reckless spending. And it was done under President Bush with Republican majorities in the House. So we need to put our heads together and move to the sensible center in terms of what the American people want, to get us off this precipice that we're about to fall into. I think there's one other thing the President should do. If he sees, in a few days, that there's no progress being made, and we are about to approach August 2 and we're about to have this train wreck, the President should invoke the 14th amendment. The 14th amendment says the public debt shall not be questioned and, in my estimation, gives the President the authority to raise the debt ceiling by himself. I think the President should do that if we cannot come to a compromise.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to the Report on a Trip to Cairo, Egypt, written by R. Leslie Deak, and presented to the Policy and Planning section of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mr. Deak is an American businessman who has spent the last nine years living part of each year in Egypt. He is on the Board of Advisors of the Center for a New American Security and is a Trustee of the National Defense University Foundation. This is an interesting and important document, and I commend it to my colleagues. Egypt Assessment: Report on Trip to Cairo, Egypt (By R. Leslie Deak) Presented to J-5 JCS, May 11, 2011 (Pentagon--Policy and Planning for Joint Chiefs of Staff) I just returned from two weeks in Egypt. During my trip, I spent most of my time in Cairo reestablishing existing contacts and developing contacts with new players in the emerging power structure. I met with informed figures in the business, political, legal, journalism and religious fields. I also had extensive contact with our people over there to get their assessment and to gauge their views against those from the Egyptians. The country is a transition that will likely end in a manner not to our liking. There are some efforts that can be undertaken at this time to help try to impact the outcome if implemented rapidly. I have summarized the current situation, explored in more depth the key areas of concern and suggested actions that may help impact on the outcome. First Impressions The fall of Mubarak's regime is widely welcomed. There is a palpable relief among people that the repression and corruption are finally easing. This is mixed with an uncertainty about what the future holds. This is very a much an Inch Allah moment at all levels that I had contact with. The impression of the US is poor. We are viewed as a contributory factor to the problems because of our prior support for Mubarak and our wavering during the early stages of the revolution. Our direct involvement in their affairs is not welcomed. Our operating in the background and providing support is more acceptable. The society in general is fascinated with the unfolding spectacle of arrests, incriminations and the extent of the corruption. Politics and then soccer are the subjects discussed, in that order. Since there is uncertainty about the future, most attention is focused on the past and day-to- day life. Prices are up by thirty percent from before the revolution but people seem to take it in stride. The Government is raising public employee salaries dramatically and is hiring unemployed workers in great numbers in order to try to maintain social stability. Continued and worsening inflation in the near term is inevitable and the population is reacting accordingly--retaining or acquiring property, jewelry, hoarding, converting pounds to foreign currency when possible, etc. Withdrawal of Egyptian Pounds was just liberalized. Foreign currency withdrawals are restricted to the equivalent of EL10.000 per day in foreign currency. Transfers abroad are restricted to $100,000 maximum per account and need individual approval from the Central Bank. Tourism, second largest source of external funds after Suez, is off by 85%. Although the recent lifting of the USDOS Travel Advisory initially helped increase interest in travel from the US to Egypt, the recent sectarian conflict has been a new setback. The consensus opinion is that travel will not recover until the Fall at the earliest assuming that the security situation stabilizes by that time. Recently, traffic police have returned to the streets in Cairo but regular police, special police, detectives and prosecutors have not yet returned. Our people have been informed by sources they consider reliable, that police presence is back up to 65%. Reliable Egyptian sources I spoke with put the figure closer to 50%. Police salaries have been increased ten-fold (to EL 3,000-4,000 per month) and law school graduates are being recruited to become police. Internal security is nonoperational and is supposedly being overhauled. All US assisted police training programs have been suspended over concerns of working with bad actors. While Cairo is safe during the daytime, at night there is occasionally sporadic gunfire. Travel outside populated areas carries dangers of hijacking. There is widespread carrying of firearms by the population and no apparent consequence or prosecution for use of deadly force in self-defense. Politically, the general belief is that things will work out and that the Muslim Brotherhood will play a role in the country's future but will not dominate. Unfortunately, I do not agree with this assessment. Where Things are Heading The following analysis is conjecture on my part. However, I vetted the conclusions against all of my sources in Egypt and here and, sadly, found that none could refute them. Economics The country seems to be sliding towards a modified socialism with the government set to play a significantly increased role in the economy. We can expect that most, if not all, of the economic reforms implemented over the last five years to be rolled back. The government is already beginning to abrogate contracts and seize properties implicated in any dealings with the prior government. Since the Mubarak regime and their cronies were involved in every aspect of the economy, no prior business arrangement is immune--this is especially true where deals were based on the use of or access to State assets (land, businesses, natural resources, etc.) Another current problem for the private sector is that there is no place to get a reliable or binding decision on which to make business judgments since the current Cabinet is transitional and their decisions are subject to change in the future. The public sector is growing dramatically both in terms of cost and size as the Supreme Council races to prevent uprisings from the lower class. They recognize that they are going to soon be facing a massive external liquidity squeeze and are casting about for any sources of foreign funds available in order to be able to continue to import essential staples. Their foreign policy reflects this with their playing off the U.S., Iran and Saudi to see who will give them money first. I believe we can expect increasing economic and, eventually, social instability due to the deteriorating economic trends. Politics In my opinion, I see little likelihood of the Muslim Brotherhood not becoming the dominant force in Egypt in the near term. This will occur despite the desire by the population as a whole to have a more representative secular government. To understand this conclusion, some background is in order. For the last eighty years, the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has been providing social services to a growing sector of the population. They provide health care, education, food, shelter, counseling, adjudicate disputes, etc. This impact has become especially pronounced over the last thirty years as increasing resources were diverted from government services and wound up in the pockets of corrupt officials. During this time, the MB had developed a highly efficient network that is well integrated into the society throughout the country and especially in the poorer areas and in the rural areas in Upper Egypt (the South) and the Delta. The military, which is a conscript army, is largely drawn from this lower socio-economic half of the population. Accordingly, they are familiar with, and are largely sympathetic to, the MB. They do not currently view them as a threat. In fact, virtually all of the Military officers I have met over the years are religiously conservative as are their families. An alliance with the MB does not pose an issue for the military and in fact helps solve two critical issues that the military faces. The first issue is complicity--the military leadership is assumed to be complicit in all of the corruption and problems of the old regime. They have been able to shelter almost all of the ex-military from prosecution, but pressure is mounting to throw them to the wolves. This does not bode well for the current leadership and they are focused on protecting themselves from prosecution with any new civilian government that they allow to emerge. I believe that they have reached this accommodation with the MB. Secondly, is the issue of the patronage system. The military controls thirty percent patent of the economy and much of the land in Egypt. The proceeds from these enterprises and sale of land are used to provide benefits and perks to the officer corps so as to maintain loyalty and discipline. If anything interrupts this arrangement, the senior staff faces the danger of possible insurrection from the junior officers. I believe the MB recognizes the need to maintain this system and has reached an accommodation with the military to continue it. With these two issues apparently resolved, I believe that the military cleared the path for accelerated elections in September knowing that the MB would dominate the elections despite the desire by the opposition forces to see a more balanced and secular (civil) outcome. They then dissolved the NDP in order to further strengthen the MB. Unfortunately, barring a change in the timing of the elections or a suspension by the Military due to security concerns, the MB will sweep the elections simply due to their organizational capabilities. They recently raised their public target from 35% to 50% of the seats. I personally believe that they will ultimately win more than 70% of the seats. This will place them in position to dominate the process that will result in a new constitution that has been mandated as part of the recent referendum. Except for the MB, there is no organization with the capability to get out the vote. The opposition is highly fragmented and disorganized. There is a possibility that the old parliamentarians may run for election independently and serve to weaken the MB, but it is unlikely. The old members benefitted from their positions in Parliament and under the current environment will most likely not run (as one told me, it cost him EGP 5 million to win each election but he could make EGP 50 million through his position--he has no interest in exposing his past activities of running again with no prospect of recovering his investment--I believe this is representative of the situation in general). While this has been going on in the background, much international and public attention has been kept focused on the Presidential election. This is a diversion since the new President will have very proscribed powers. The MB has indicated that they will not run, but they are negotiating with the candidates and will throw their weight behind the one that will assure their interests. The recent issue with the Salafis is largely viewed as manufactured by the MB in order to make the MB appear more moderate. I would personally expect that the MB and the military will resolve the Salafi problem once it has served its purpose. What Can be Done The first thing that needs to be done is to improve our image with the Egyptian people. We can do this through several actions. First, we could use our current available resources to help locate and freeze funds that belong to the long list of individuals under detention or indictment. Publicizing our efforts to assist in this manner will be front page news throughout the Middle East and will have an enormous positive impact on public perception of the U.S. in Egypt. I recommend this while at the same time acknowledging the broader impact such an action may have on investors from other countries. Secondly, we should remain neutral and supportive of the election process and their right to set their own destiny regardless of the outcome. It will be very important for us not to be seen as judgmental of, or in opposition to, the outcome of the election. Any perceived effort on our part to influence the election will backfire and both damage our reputation and adversely impact any individual or group perceived to be supported by us. This does not mean that we have to sit back and accept the long term impact of the elections. If we hope to see the situation improve, then the next, and immediate, focus should be to ramp up our efforts to work with groups that can bring influence to bear on the constitutional process. These include the opposition groups, the youth groups, the emerging parties, the Copts and the military and possibly the new President once we know who it is. The only way to short-circuit the MB dominating the constitutional process after the election is to help the opposition organize to focus the issues and bring people out in to the streets again. We can also try to work in the background to convince the military that it is in everyone's interest to assure a balanced and open constitutional process. The street protests will help in this effort. To the extent that our assistance is requested, we can also work with those domestic change agents with whom contact has already been established in order to help them work towards an open process so as to assure a fully representational political process in the future. As long as the constitutional process can be opened up so that it is representative, it is likely that the MB will be a one-election phenomenon and that we will see an outcome like Kuwait. Any group that wins this election is doomed to fail because of the deteriorating economic and security situation. The only real concern we should have is what happens next. I believe that we can have an impact on that outcome which will serve the interest of both Egypt and the U.S. However, our window of opportunity is closing quickly.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I wish to call my colleagues' attention to the Hudson River School of Painters, the first American school of painters that contributed to an appreciation of the American landscape and conservation of this country's natural beauty. At the time of its operation in the 19th Century, it was a significant achievement in American art and culture that commemorated American landscapes in a manner unseen before by American citizens and others around the world. Recently, I had the distinct honor to unveil the first of a series of historic bronze markers along the Hudson River. These bronze markers are designed to indicate where painters put their easels in order to create a panorama and vista of the river itself. The historic bronze marker, created by Greg Wyatt, Director of the Academy of Art at the Newington-Cropsey Foundation in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, honor the sites where painters such as Jasper F. Cropsey, Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church, and Asher Durand stood to create paintings reflecting their unique perspectives on nature. Additional sites are planned this coming year at Hook Mountain State Park and Newburgh, New York. In light of this occasion, I would like to commend my colleague Representative Maurice Hinchey in his long record of support for both the rebirth of study of this first American school of painting, and for his determination to present to Congress and the American people the importance of the Hudson Valley to our cultural heritage. I also would like to commend the Architect of the Capitol for displaying two paintings purchased by Congress after the Civil War from the famous 19th century Hudson River School painter Albert Bierstadt. They are entitled ``Discovery on the Hudson'' and ``Entrance into Monterey,'' and are available for viewing in the Capitol Visitors Center. I urge all of my colleagues and their constituents to appreciate these wonderful pieces of art.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Maureen Silo, beloved spouse of Susan McMillan, daughter of the late Mary Agnes Burns and the late James Thomas Hanlon, sister to Jean Marie Bruno of Sarasota, FL and James Francis Hanlon of San Antonio, TX and aunt of Matthew Hanlon of San Antonio, TX, Jena Kolt, Kairi Kolt and Lucian MacMillan of the Bronx, passed away on July 17, 2011 at Calvary Hospital, Bronx, NY. A native of the Bronx, Maureen entered military service in the U.S. Army in 1974. After leaving the Army, Maureen moved back to NYC and became the first female high rise window washer in the City of New York! Maureen worked at the Bronx VA where she met her spouse Susan in 1992. Susan and Maureen became official domestic partners on April 19, 1994. They were legally married on October 4, 2008 in Wellfleet, MA. Always a humanitarian and champion for the underdog, Maureen found her calling in helping others. She became a social worker after getting her B.A. in Social Work from Lehman College and then graduated from Yeshiva University with an M.A. in Social Work. She worked in the burn unit at Jacobi Hospital during her undergrad internship and at the NYC Gay and Lesbian Anti-violence Project during her graduate internship. She continued to work at AVP after receiving her M.A. for four more years. She then went to work for NYC HRA in July of 2001 as a social worker for victims of domestic violence. She transferred to the Department of Homeless Services in 2004 and became a supervisor/ manager. Maureen also volunteered with the American Red Cross as a mental health worker. She was on the Bronx Disaster Response Team for three years. She worked in Mississippi for two weeks after Hurricane Katrina. Maureen was a great lover of animals and rescued and provided a safe, secure, loving home for six dogs and four cats with her spouse Susan over a period of 18 years. In Judaism there is a phrase about a Woman of Valor and Maureen Silo was such a woman. Through her actions she had shown us all how to live with love and grace even through life's most challenging times. I join with her family and friends in their time of grief and am grateful for her dignity and courage. As said in the Bible: ``Who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far above rubies?'' Well, that woman was Maureen Silo.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I rise today in continued opposition to the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011, H.R. 2553. I will continue to oppose the FAA reauthorization until the FAA rethinks their ill-advised redesign for the airspace around New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. I have opposed this airspace redesign from day one, along with some of my Republican colleagues in New Jersey as well, and have thwarted its implementation every step of the way. Time and time again, the FAA has pursued the airspace redesign while ignoring the concerns of my constituents in Rockland County, New York. The FAA created their proposal with zero input from the very people whose lives would be most harmed by the proposal. In fact, even when we brought this up to the FAA, they had to be dragged kicking and screaming into holding a public forum in Rockland County. This plan, which will only save minutes on flight time, will disrupt the lives of thousands of residents in my district in Rockland County in New York and in northern New Jersey who live under the new flight plans. As my constituents have noted to me, the noise and air pollution in the area will increase. It is unknown how this increase in air pollution will affect the disproportionate rate of childhood asthma in my district. The modernization of our aviation system is necessary to bring it into the 21st century, to keep pace with the increased number of flights, and to also maintain our technological advancements by implementing new equipment to keep our system the safest in the world. However, there are several alternatives to this plan, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in opposition to this reauthorization. Not only are we going to have planes going into Newark Airport fly directly over my constituents, but now there are other paths of planes coming in from JFK airport as well. This is government at its worst running roughshod over the people that it's supposed to serve, not taking any kind of input. In fact, they come up with a redesign plan. And then when it's challenged, the person who decides the challenge was the very author of the redesign plan to begin with. Sounds like a kangaroo court to me. So I am going to continue to oppose these things. I think at a time when we're all talking about government spending less and being more sensitive, this is a good place to start. And I will continue to oppose the FAA reauthorization until the FAA halts and revises their deeply flawed airspace redesign plan for New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my sad duty to report the passing of a former officer of this House, doorkeeper James T. Molloy. Jim, as he was known to so many, served as doorkeeper for 20 years, when I first came to Congress from 1974 to 1994. He was known throughout the world for his distinctive introduction of the President and heads of State to Congress. He is the one who would always yell: Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States. Jim, a native of Buffalo, New York, was a graduate of Canisius College and worked as a fireman and schoolteacher before coming to Washington at the invitation of Congressman John Rooney of New York. He leaves his beloved wife, Roseann, and his daughter, Amy. We will all miss him. We all remember him, and we all loved him.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman. I've listened to this debate for a while now. The American people want us to compromise. The American people are in the middle. That's where most of the American people are. And they don't want extremes from either side. So what would we do logically to find a solution in the middle to close our budget deficit? We would, first of all, cut spending. Secondly, we would close tax loopholes to big corporations. And, thirdly, we would let those who can afford to pay more, pay more. The President has proposed something like this, a $4 trillion reduction in the deficit, and the Republicans have refused to do it. They refuse to even plug loopholes from Big Oil and Gas. So this is where we are now. It takes two to tango. If they're going to vote ``no'' on anything that closes tax loopholes, then we have to just raise the debt ceiling. Now, we voted seven times under President Bush to have a clean debt ceiling raised, 28 times under President Reagan to have a clean debt ceiling raised, and yet the Republicans won't do it and they bring us to the brink of disaster. The truth of the matter is we don't need extremes. And, as was pointed out here before, this will end Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security as we know it because it will make it easier to cut those programs than it is to cut subsidies to Big Oil. That is shameful, and this should be rejected.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 606 I in advertently missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, on May 24, President Obama issued a memorandum on Federal fleet performance, which requires all new light- duty vehicles in the Federal fleet to be alternate few vehicles, such as hybrid, electric, natural gas or biofuel, by December 31, 2015. My amendment simply echos the Presidential memorandum by prohibiting funds in the Energy and Water appropriations bill from being used to lease or purchase new light-duty vehicles except in accord with the President's memorandum. I have introduced similar amendments to the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and the Agriculture appropriations bills. All three were accepted by the majority and passed by voice vote. Our transportation sector is by far the biggest reason we send $600 billion per year to hostile nations to pay for oil at ever-increasing costs, but America doesn't need to be dependent on foreign sources of oil for transportation fuel. Alternative technologies exist today that when implemented broadly will allow any alternative fuel to be used in America's automotive fleet. The Federal Government operates the largest fleet of light-duty vehicles in America. According to GSA, there are over 660,000 vehicles in the Federal fleet, with just over 15,000 being used by the Department of Energy. By supporting a diverse array of vehicle technologies in our Federal fleet, we will encourage the development of domestic energy resources, including biomass, natural gas, coal, agricultural waste, hydrogen, and renewable electricity. Expanding the role these energy sources play in or transportation economy will help break the leverage over Americans held by foreign government-controlled oil companies; it will increase our Nation's domestic security, and protect consumers from price spikes and shortages in the world's oil markets. I just want to say very briefly on a similar note, I have worked with my colleagues John Shimkus, Roscoe Bartlett and Steve Israel to introduce the bipartisan Open Fuel Standard Act, which is H.R. 1687. Our bill would require 50 percent of all new automobiles in 2014, 80 percent in 2016, and 95 percent in 2017 to be warranted to operate on non-petroleum fuels in addition to, or instead of, petroleum-based fuels. Compliance possibilities include the full array of existing technologies, including flex fuel, natural gas, hydrogen, biodiesel, plug-in electric drive, and fuel cell, as well as a catchall of new technologies. So I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, on May 24, President Obama issued a Memorandum on Federal Fleet Performance, which requires all new light- duty vehicles in the Federal fleet to be alternate fuel vehicles, such as hybrid, electric, natural gas, or biofuel, by December 31, 2015. My amendment echoes the Presidential memorandum by prohibiting funds in the Defense Appropriations bill from being used to lease or purchase new light-duty vehicles except in accord with the President's memorandum. I have introduced similar amendments to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill and the Agriculture Appropriations bill and intend to do it with other appropriations bills. Both were accepted by the majority and passed by voice vote. Our transportation sector is by far the biggest reason we send $600 billion per year to hostile nations to pay for oil at ever-increasing costs, but America doesn't need to be dependent on foreign sources of oil for transportation fuel. Alternative technologies exist today that, when implemented broadly, will allow any alternative fuel to be used in America's automotive fleet. The Federal Government operates the largest fleet of light-duty vehicles in America. According to GSA, there are over 660,000 vehicles in the Federal fleet, with almost 197,000 being used by the Department of Defense. By supporting a diverse array of vehicle technologies in our Federal fleet, we will encourage development of domestic energy resources--including biomass, natural gas, coal, agricultural waste, hydrogen and renewable electricity. Expanding the role these energy sources play in our transportation economy will help break the leverage over Americans held by foreign government-controlled oil companies and will increase our Nation's domestic security and protect consumers from price spikes and shortages in the world oil markets. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment as both sides of the aisle have done in previous bills; and I want to mention on a similar note, I have worked in a bipartisan fashion with my colleagues, John Shimkus, Roscoe Bartlett and Steve Israel, to open the bipartisan Open Fuel Standard Act, H.R. 1687. Our bill would require 50 percent of new automobiles in 2014, 80 percent in 2016, and 95 percent in 2017 to be warranted to operate on nonpetroleum fuels in addition to or instead of petroleum-based fuels. Compliance possibilities include the full array of existing technologies, including flex fuel, natural gas, hydrogen, biodiesel, plug-in electric drive and fuel cell, and a catch-all for new technologies. I mention it because it's similar to this, and I really believe that our energy policies obviously can only be done on a bipartisan basis. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, again as we've done on all the other bills where I have introduced it, and the Open Fuel Standard as we work toward breaking our dependence on foreign oil. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I rise in strong support of the resolution. I come from the premise that if you want to work out a disagreement, you sit face to face at the negotiating table and negotiate. That's what happened in Ireland, and it should happen in the Middle East. But the Palestinians are playing their cute little games. They want to establish a lot of preconditions, they want to make excuses not to sit and talk with Israel, and they think they can impose this at the U.N. and impose statehood without face-to-face negotiations. So I say ``no'' to excuses, ``no'' to 1967 lines, ``no'' to all kinds of preconditions before Palestinians will even sit down and talk. The only way, if the Palestinians are truly wanting peace, they have a willing partner in Israel. As Prime Minister Netanyahu said, There is no Palestinian state not because we don't support one; it's because the Palestinians won't recognize the Jewish State. So I believe in two states side by side: a Jewish State of Israel and an Arab-Palestinian state. And, again, that can only happen with face- to-face negotiations. No preconditions. Let the parties sit down and talk.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. On May 24, President Obama issued a memorandum on Federal fleet performance, which requires that all new light-duty vehicles in the Federal fleet to be alternate fuel vehicles, such as hybrid, electric, natural gas, or biofuel, by December 31, 2015. My amendment simply echoes the Presidential memorandum by prohibiting funds in the Agriculture appropriations bill from being used to lease or purchase new light-duty vehicles except in accord with the President's memorandum. Two weeks ago, I introduced a similar amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that was accepted by both parties and passed by voice vote unanimously. Our transportation sector is by far the biggest reason we send $600 billion per year to hostile nations to pay for oil at ever-increasing costs, but America doesn't need to be dependent on foreign sources of oil for transportation fuel. Alternative technologies exist today that, when implemented broadly, will allow any alternative fuel to be used in America's automotive fleet. The Federal Government operates the largest fleet of light-duty vehicles in America. According to GSA, there are over 660,000 vehicles in the Federal fleet, with almost 38,000 belonging to the Department of Agriculture. Supporting a diverse array of vehicle technologies in our Federal fleet will encourage development of domestic energy resources, including biomass, natural gas, coal, agricultural waste, hydrogen, and renewable electricity. Expanding the role these energy sources play in our transportation economy will help break the leverage over Americans held by foreign government-controlled oil companies and will increase our Nation's domestic security and protect consumers from price spikes and shortages in the world's oil markets. I ask that we all support my amendment. The chairman, the gentleman from Georgia, and I cochair the Oil and National Security Caucus, and we do it because we believe that America cannot be totally free unless we're energy independent and while we still have to rely on hostile foreign nations to get our fuel and to get our fuel supplies. On a similar note, I have worked with my colleagues, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Israel, and for many years with Mr. Kingston to introduce the bipartisan open fuel standard, H.R. 1687. It's similar to what I'm doing now. I just wanted to briefly mention that our bill, not this amendment but our bill, would require 50 percent of new automobiles in 2014, 80 percent in 2016, and 95 percent in 2017 to be warranted to operate on non-petroleum fuels, in addition to or instead of petroleum-based fuels. It would cost $100 or less per car to manufacture cars that would be flex fuel cars. Compliance possibilities include the full array of existing technologies, including flex fuel, natural gas, hydrogen, biodiesel, plug-in electric drive, fuel cell, and a catch-all for new technologies. I encourage my colleagues to support the Engel amendment and the open fuel standard as we work toward breaking our dependence on foreign oil. I thank Chairman Kingston for his courtesies, and I urge bipartisan support of my amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Congregation Shaaray Israel of Monroe, NY, will honor Stacie and Ken Podos at their Journal Dinner Dance on June 12, 2011 for their long-time dedication to the congregation. Stacie and Ken are deeply involved in the synagogue and have held various leadership positions within the congregation. Ken, a sales representative for J.K.J. Sales, Inc., currently serves as Chairman of Shaaray Israel's Board, and until recently was President of the congregation. Before his term as President, Ken began as financial secretary at Shaaray Israel, eventually moving on to serve as third, second and first Vice President. In addition to his work at the congregation, Ken is active on the Jewish Federation of Rockland's Board of Trustees. Stacie, like her husband, is a leader in the congregation. She currently serves as chairperson of Shaaray Israel's Dedication Committee and is the incoming Vice-President of the Sisterhood. In addition to her work within the congregation, Stacie was heavily involved in the construction and design of the synagogue's new building. Trained at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Stacie is an interior designer by trade and helped decide on the materials and look of the synagogue. Ken's and Stacie's commitment to the Jewish community extends beyond their congregation. They are actively involved in the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island, and serve on various national Jewish organizations. Ken and Stacie have been honored with the Tree of Life Award from Israel Bonds and serve as Solidarity Founders and Keepers of the Gate for Hadassah. Stacie, who has been a member of Hadassah for 24 years, also holds a position on the organization's national board. Ken and Stacie are proud parents of Jordan, Kimberly, and Jared and are expecting their first grandchild this September. They have made outstanding contributions to their community through their involvement and dedication to Jewish issues, and I congratulate them on this honor they so richly deserve.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Hebrew School teacher and long-time community volunteer Lila Stern of Rockland County, is being honored by Congregation Shaaray Israel at their annual Journal Dinner Dance on June 12, 2011. For her numerous contributions to her community, Lila will receive the congregation's prestigious ``Woman of Valor'' award. Lila has served as a leader of the Rockland Jewish community since 1953. As her husband Jules rose to the head of their congregation in the 1970s, Lila sought to encourage women's involvement in the Jewish issues as Chairwoman of Rockland County Israel Bonds Women's Division, President of Sisterhood at the Jewish Community Center, and a lifelong member of Hadassah. In addition to her work in the Jewish community, Lila pursued a career as a ``Professional Volunteer.'' While raising three children, she took the time to work as a Pink Lady at Good Samaritan Hospital and as a literacy volunteer. Lila now works as an adult teacher at Shaaray Israel where she teaches a class on Jewish appreciation. Every Wednesday she leads a discussion on Jewish issues ranging from religious issues to Israeli politics. As a grandmother of 11, Lila has instilled in her family a respect for Jewish tradition as well as a sense of gratitude and support for the state of Israel, which she and her husband travel to frequently. Her visits to Israel began in 1950, when she first went with her parents lugging suitcases of clothing as well as money for the needy of the fledgling new country. Through her charity and tireless dedication to her community, Lila has certainly earned her title as a ``Woman of Valor,'' and I congratulate her on this honor.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Steven and Chani Laufer came to Riverdale in 2005 and joined the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale the following year after attending a warm and moving Yom Kippur service there. They have been enthusiastic supporters ever since. They love the sincerity of the community, the caring and devotion of the rabbinic team, and the inspirational and progressive vision for the larger community that Rabbi Avi Weiss champions. Chani grew up in Pittsburgh, and has worked in television, politics, and as a reporter for the Bergen Record and The Philadelphia Enquirer. After earning her law degree, Chani represented children as a law guardian in the Bronx and New York City family courts. She is currently taking care of her family and also serves on the board of Yeshivat Maharat. Steven grew up in Stony Brook, N.Y., and is pursuing a doctorate in economics at New York University, after teaching high school science for several years. He is a former Tot Shabbat leader and organizes the HIR Purim Texas Hold 'Em Tournament. Steven and Chani have three children; Shoshana, 5, Ari, 3, and Erez, 4 months. Like their parents, the children are enthused with the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. They love celebrating holidays at HIR so much that Ari wakes up each morning for weeks afterwards asking ``Is it Simchat Torah today? Is it Purim today?'' HIR is honoring this wonderful couple with the Young Leadership Award. I want to join with the HIR in congratulating and thanking this young couple for their good work in the community.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Rabbi Tomer and Efrat Grossman moved to Riverdale from Israel three years ago as Jewish Agency Shlichim of Bnei Akiva. Rabbi Grossman worked as the main Shaliach of Bnei Akiva in North America, and helped run Bnei Akiva activities at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. In response to the warmth of the HIR community and its strong connection and commitment to Medinat Israel, Rabbi Grossman organized an Israeli Seder, an Israeli Minyan for Simchat Torah and two fundraisers--one after the Carmel Fire and another for poor families in Israel. During his stay in Riverdale, Rabbi Tomer was appointed by the Jewish Agency as the Head of Formal Educational Shlichim in North America and as the main organizer of the National Bible Contest. He is currently the rabbi at Brandeis School in Long Island. Tomer was born in Petach-Tikva and learned at Yeshivat Hagolan in Hispin. He served in the army as a tank commander and as a Division Rabbi in the Reserved Forces, in addition to working as a programming manager at Motorola. Efrat, as a designer, immediately fell in love with the HIR community's creativity and open mindedness and participated in last year's Shavuot programs and gave a lecture in Hebrew. Efrat works as a Hebrew literacy teacher at Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls as well as a pottery artist. Efrat was born in Jerusalem, and continues a dynasty of more than 10 generations in Israel. In Israel, she was head of the Visual Arts Department of Ariel University after serving as the Head of the Jewish Education Faculty at Emunah High School in Tiberias. They have two daughters: Ayala, 8, and Hallel, 8 months old. This marvelous couple is being honored by the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale with the Community Service Award, and I join HIR in congratulating them and thanking them for all their good work in our community.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, the Bayit, is a cornerstone of the Riverdale community. Today it is honoring Daniel Perla and his wife Valerie Altmann for their involvement In the HIR since they moved to the community in 2000. Danny was elected President of Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in June 2004, shortly after he completed the prestigious Wexner Heritage leadership training program. Under his leadership, the HIR embarked on a major capital campaign and has completed a building expansion and renovation. The campaign has already raised over $5 million, half way to its goal with the rebuilt Bayit now accommodating nine separate Shabbat groups, and six different Shabbat tefillot. The Bayit also houses Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, the preeminent Open Orthodox rabbinical school where Danny is currently studying full-time. Before beginning his Rabbinic studies, Danny worked as an analyst and portfolio manager for a variety of firms, most recently working as a Managing Director of Indian Asset Management, a major institutional money management firm. In addition to his involvement at HIR, Danny serves as a board member of SAR Academy, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and Yeshivat Hadar. Valerie is a full-time faculty member at Long Island Jewish Medical Center where she oversees residents and practices Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is also an assistant professor at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine. Valerie is a frequent lecturer on medical issues related to health and halakha and recently played an important role in the kallah conference co-sponsored by YCT, JOFA and Yeshivat Maharat. Canadian-born, she is a graduate of McGill University and McGill Medical School. Danny and Valerie are the proud parents of four children: Benjamin, 14, Rebecca, 12, Yoni, 9, and Gabriel 6. They all attend the SAR Academy in Riverdale. I happily join with the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in congratulating my good friend of many years Danny and his wife for their contributions to the HIR and to the community at large.